In a world of VUCA seek anti fragility

Fragility is the quality of being easily broken, delicate or vulnerable. A fragile system, similar to a vase, are easily impacted by a slight shock. Vases are fragile – and broken when hit. Once they break, it may be possible to glue them together again but will never look and function the same from its original state.

What is the opposite of fragility? Durability and adaptability. A system which adapts and gains strength from the impact of a shock(s) – vases getting more robust with each stone hitting them.

Nature shows many examples of anti fragile systems. The human immune system is anti fragile. Each infection is overcomed further strengthening it. The immune system is especially design with the need of “shocks” / intruders in order to evolve and remain strong.

Currently we typically aim to protect systems from a set of expected events. In the world of VUCA (Dance on the VUCAno) the aim must be making environment and its systems anti-fragile. Why not expose a system continuously to shock events and train it to handle them? Expect the unexpected, make the unexpected to anticipated.